THE farewell for Sir Mark Tully blended his love for India and for Britain. A requiem mass was held for Mark, long the BBC’s man in India, last Sunday (1) at the Cathedral Church of the Redemption in Delhi.
Mark, who died, aged 90, was cremated at the Lodhi Road crematorium, where Hindu priests sprinkled Ganga jal and Christian hymns were also sung.
Serra TullyEastern Eye
At the cathedral service, which was also a celebration of his life, tributes were paid by three of his four children – Patrick, Serra and Sam Tully.
Born in an affluent part of Calcutta on October 24, 1935, he was one of five siblings. His British nanny’s responsibility was to ensure “her charge didn’t go native”.
Sam TullyEastern Eye
He was a “spiritual seeker” and a link between India and the UK. He had great affection for Britain but “his dil was Hindustani” (as in the song from the Raj Kapoor Bollywood movie, Shree 420, from 1955). He loved going to the Kumbh Mela and could recite the Hanuman Chalisa, but “his sheet anchor was Christianity, especially High Anglican”. There were anecdotes about his passion for Indian rail journeys.
Patrick TullyEastern Eye
With Mark’s passing, there appears to have been a genuine sense of loss across India. The family received condolence messages from both the Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and the opposition Congress leader Sonia Gandhi.
Mark was quintessentially English, retained his British passport and loved India. It should also be possible to remain quintessentially Indian and love Britain. It would be good if there were equivalents of Mark Tully in this country.
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